THE 'heartbreaking' discovery of a recently-deceased young dolphin washed ashore in Weymouth is to be investigated by scientists.

A small male dolphin was found on the beach at Bowleaze Cove yesterday morning with no obvious signs of injury or clues as to how it died.

Local man Neal Buckoke was left baffled after he came across the animal lying on the shore, looking almost as though it were still alive.

"It was awful to see - just heartbreaking really," he said.

"It was very small, and could have been either a porpoise or a dolphin. But either way, there were no marks on it to suggest how it died. It could have ingested poison or plastic - it could be anything.

Bournemouth Echo: The small male dolphin washed up on the beach near the Riviera Hotel (DWT)The small male dolphin washed up on the beach near the Riviera Hotel (DWT)

"You do see it a lot with whales that wash up in Baltic countries; when their deaths are investigated, scientists discover their stomachs are full of plastic - to the extent that they literally cannot eat."

The animal was found close to a stream that runs over the beach and into the sea, which also serves as a sewage outflow during heavy rainfall. "Which makes me think it must be pollution," Mr Buckoke added. 

"Either that, or it could be something to do with the two big trawlers that were off the coast for ages. But there weren't any net marks visible."

After we contacted the Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT) yesterday, Sarah Hodgson, coastal centres assistant, visited Bowleaze Cove and confirmed it is a small - and therefore presumably juvenile - short-beaked male common dolphin.

Bournemouth Echo: It almost looks as though it's still alive (DWT)It almost looks as though it's still alive (DWT)

She said a team from the Natural History Museum which runs the Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) will collect the mammal to perform a necropsy, which, it is hoped, will establish the cause of death.

Dead cetaceans washed ashore on Dorset beaches are sad, but not-uncommon occurrences after stormy weather. The Echo is regularly contacted about sightings during autumn and winter when there are stronger winds, bigger swells and larger waves more likely to wash them ashore.

But it is rare to hear of an incident in which a dolphin or porpoise washes up without also being surrounded by flotsam or dead seabirds, and without any obvious sign of injury or decomposition.

Mr Buckoke was of the same opinion - he said it was "really weird" to see the dolphin on the beach looking almost as though it were alive and with no debris nearby or obvious cause of death.

Bournemouth Echo: The dolphin could not have long been dead when it washed ashore yesterday morning - hopefully a necropsy will shed more light (Neal Buckoke)The dolphin could not have long been dead when it washed ashore yesterday morning - hopefully a necropsy will shed more light (Neal Buckoke)

When he contacted us we raised the issue with the DWT straight away, who in turn got in touch with CSIP - so despite it being a sad incident, there is some consolation to be drawn from the fact that scientists can now investigate fully.

Sarah Hodgson, who is based at DWT's Fine Foundation Wild Seas Centre in Kimmeridge, said that common dolphins usually reside further offshore so the death may not be directly related to the storm sewage outflow - it could have died further out at sea before being washed up.

However she also acknowledged it is in a "very fresh" state and hopes a post-mortem examination by CSIP will provide further insight.

"There are many reasons why these animals die," she added. "It could be as a result of human activity such as by-catch from fisheries, entanglement in ghost-fishing gear or pollution - or it could just be from natural causes."

READ MORE:

Post-mortem examinations by CSIP reveal information about diseases, environmental contaminant levels; reproductive patterns, diet, and baseline data on UK populations.

Bournemouth Echo: The man who found it is very concerned about pollution in the sea (Pic: Neal Buckoke)The man who found it is very concerned about pollution in the sea (Pic: Neal Buckoke)

There are several species of dolphin and porpoise that have been spotted in Dorset including the bottlenose dolphin, common dolphin and harbour porpoise.

In December a rare pygmy sperm whale found on Burton Bradstock beach was confirmed to be one of only 10 recorded sightings of the elusive species to have ever been recorded.

If you find a live-stranded cetacean, please contact British Divers Marine Life Rescue (01825 765546 – 24 hours) urgently to engage a rescue. Never try to return it to the sea.

If you find a dead-stranded animal, inform Dorset Wildlife Trust by calling 01305 264620 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm) or emailing kimmeridge@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk or you can call CSIP on 0800 652 0333.

Support The Wildlife Trusts’ aim to win protection for 30 per cent of land and sea by 2030, at wildlifetrusts.org/30by30